Saturday 31 January 2009

THE CRACKED POT




Once upon a time there was a water-bearer in India who had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pot full of water in his master's house.



Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water-bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked the bearer.

"What are you ashamed of ?"



"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work and you don't get full value from your efforts, " the pot said. The water-bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."



Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some.

But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side?



That's because have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."


Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and warding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

Cartoon Time


Read in Aimy's blog, about her daughter's Iman, favourite song from "Barbie and the Diamond Castle" movie...I may join her club too..hehehe...

This is "Two Voices, One Song"





Barbie and the Diamond Castle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Liana and Alexa (Barbie and Teresa) are best friends who share everything, including their love of singing. Liana and Alexa sell flowers for a living. One day, Liana finds 2 heart-shaped diamonds in the river.

Suddenly, there is a storm, and the two girls hurry inside their house. Liana makes the two diamonds into two necklaces, one for each girl. When they went outside the next morning, they find that their garden is destroyed by the storm. They sell the remaining flowers to get 3 coins, but that will not last until the next growing season.




While walking through the forest home from the village, the girls meet an old beggar. Liana feels sorry for the old woman so she gives her her lunch, bread and jam, even though she and Alexa don't have much either. In return, the old woman gives her a magical mirror.

As they clean the mirror and sing, a musical apprentice muse named Melody appears in the mirror's surface. Melody tells the girls about the secret of the Diamond Castle, which is the home of all music, and where three musical muses once resided until one evil muse, Lydia, tried to take the castle for herself.

She failed, but turned the other muses to stone.

etc, etc, etc...




Also found this when looking for the above video :-)






Lyrics:

(Ariel)
There is a world where hope
And dreams can last for all time
I wonder this place to go
You know it
When your heart will find

(Jasmine)
Hearing our song as old as rhyme
Hold my hand we're gonna fly
While a magic ride
Is just a kiss away

[Chorus]
If you can dream for wishful making
On a star is coming through

(Pocahontas)
The colors of the wind will lead
My heart right back to you

Cos if you can dream,
Reflections in a diamond sky,
Come shining on through

(Aurora)
Romance will always be so new
And love will save the day
If you can dream

(Snow White)
Someday my prince will come
It's certain as the sunrise
(Cinderella)
One day the slipper fits
And you see the love in his eyes

(Belle)
It's the tale as old as time
There's no mountain we can find
When you're finally mine
And just a kiss away

[Chorus]
If you can dream for wishful making
On a star is coming through

(Pocahontas)
The colors of the wind will lead
My heart right back to you

Cos if you can dream,
Reflections in a diamond sky,
Come shining on through

(Mulan)
Romance will always be so new
And love will save the day
If you can dream

[Bridge]
(Belle)
So the story goes
Never tire the rose

(Jasmine)
There's a whole new world
Waiting there for us
Waiting just for us...

[Chorus]
If you can dream for wishful making
On a star is coming through

(Pocahontas)
The colors of the wind will lead
My heart right back to you

Cos if you can dream,
Reflections in a diamond sky,
Come shining on through

(Snow White)
Romance will always be so new
(Ariel)
And love will save the day, Ohhhh

(Mulan)
Love will save the day
If you can dream

(Ariel)
You can dream ... ...


****************

...I love watching cartoons...
:-)))


Friday 30 January 2009

Visit Terengganu

The Map

January 30, 2009 14:27 PM

Terengganu Records 3.53 Million Tourists Arrivals Last Year


KUALA TERENGGANU, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- Terengganu recorded 3.528 million in tourist arrivals during the Visit Terengganu Year last year, a 24 per cent increase compared to 2.8 million in 2007.



The "Crystal Mosque"


State executive councillor for tourism, culture, arts and heritage Datuk Za'abar Mohd Adib said the increase was due to the various programmes held throughout the year, including the squid fishing competition, Royal Terengganu Endurance Race, Monsoon Cup and the Rainforest Challenge.




Of the total tourist arrivals, some 380,000 were from Singapore, China, Taiwan and Europe.


The beach

"Terengganu has already received thousands of visitors this year, mostly during the Islamic Civilisation Park opening," he told Bernama.

The "Crystal Mosque"

He said Terengganu had set the target of achieving four million arrivals this year.

Batik and Songket

Various programmes had been arranged to promote Terengganu, including a roadshow each in Penang and Singapore apart from putting up advertisements at the KL International Airport, he said.



"Monsoon Cups"




-- BERNAMA

TAJ NSM JS



*********************

Special mention and salute to a friend who is very concerned about turtle conservation, she is based at this Ma'Daerah, and always reminds me not to eat turtle eggs.. :-) dont worry mate!

*********************



Community based Turtle Conservation in Ma' Daerah, Terengganu.


In a little known haven in Terengganu, with 1.7 km of beach and 70 hectares of flat sandy plains is Ma’ Daerah. This turtle rookery is tucked away in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia between the towns of Kerteh and Paka. The Ma’ Daerah Turtle Sanctuary, in the district of Kemaman, lies within the Paka-Kerteh rookery and has always been an important turtle nesting beach for all four species of marine turtles found in Malaysia.

However, due to rampant coastal development within the past 30 years, the number of nesting turtles within the rookery have reduced significantly. Ma' Daerah's existence as a turtle nesting haven is now critical.

(Read more: http://www.wwf.org.my/about_wwf/what_we_do/species_main/turtles/turtles_projects/)


Another day, another lunch... :-)



We planned to meet for lunch on her birthday few weeks ago, but her colleagues managed to "kidnap" her first for lunch, so ours had to be postponed, but today she invited me for lunch, "her treat" she said... thinking that I had something to give her I said ok.





As she only had one hour break, we met near her place..As usual - chatting as much as possible - while eating and drinking, but by 2pm we had to leave with many untold update of our news/stories, haha.."thank you sis, semoga dimurahkan lagi rezeki..ameen.."




It is always a pleasure to meet this dear friend of mine that's like a sister to me..we have known each other since we were teens in boarding school, managed to keep in touch through out the years when we further our studies, into our line of works, own lives etc...InsyaAllah I'll always value this bond of "sistership".




mmm...I guess I have to go on diet after all these yummy food..hahaha...


...exercise more....




can I turn like this in few weeks?...



..hehehehe...
:-)

Thursday 29 January 2009

Panda stories...



13 panda cubs from China's quake-hit breeding base have first
group show on Jan. 28, 2009 (cnphoto)




Panda cubs from China´s quake-hit breeding base have first group show


Source: Xinhua 01-29-2009 11:38
Special Report: Post-quake reconstruction


CHENGDU, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The 13 panda cubs from the Wolong panda breeding base of southwest China's Sichuan province born after the devastating earthquake had their first group show in front of visitors, said local sources on Wednesday.

"Currently the 13 cubs are all in good shape and growing healthily," said Li Desheng, vice director of the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in Sichuan's Wolong nature reserve, extending his greetings to Chinese people on behalf of the center at the Spring Festival.

The Wolong base, only 30 km from the quake's epicenter of Wenchuan County, suffered severe damage in the "May 12" earthquake with the death of five staff and one panda. Fourteen of the 32 pens were destroyed. Pandas were later evacuated to other breeding bases.

The first post-quake panda twin cubs were born on July 6. To date, 15 cubs had been born since the disaster, among whom 13 survived.

The Wolong base now has more than 140 giant pandas, accounting for 60 percent of the bred pandas worldwide.


Editor:Beauty
(http://www.cctv.com/english/20090129)




*****************

Panda pair makes debut in Taiwan


Source: CCTV.com 01-27-2009 09:40

The two pandas sent from the Chinese mainland as gifts for Taiwan made their first public appearance at Taipei Zoo on Monday the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Children in Taiwan, said, "They are fighting and playing with each other!"

"It just showed me its butt, so I could only see its back, not its face."

"It's very real. It's so different from what I've seen in books."

What kind of creatures make children go crazy like this? Dinosaurs? No! Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, are the pandas given as gifts from the mainland to Taipei Zoo.

More than a thousand visitors lined up at the zoo gates waiting for opening time this morning.

A man in a panda costume posed for photos with the visitors and entertained children.

As so many people wanted to see the pandas, zoo officials prepared number cards so the crowd would wait in order.

The two giant pandas captivated onlookers as they chewed bamboo, ate apples or rolled over logs laid out inside their glass house.

Ms Chang, From Central Taiwan, said, "Yes I am very happy, but it seems a bit rushed. We didn't have enough time as we were told to keep moving, and we had to keep walking. Anyway, I ran up to the second floor to see the pandas some more."

On Saturday, the pandas were greeted by a select group of VIPs including Taiwan leader, Ma Ying-jeou, and Kuomintang Honorary Chairman, Lien Chan.

The two pandas completed a month-long quarantine period after they arrived from Sichuan Province last month. Both are in good health.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei



Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan are displayed their new enclosure
at the Taipei City Zoo in Muzha on Saturday January 24,
2009.(AP Photo/Guo Ru-hsiao/Pool)

Israeli raid injures Gaza children



UPDATED ON:
Thursday, January 29, 2009
16:02 Mecca time, 13:02 GMT
(http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast)


At least nine people, seven of them school girls, have been injured by an Israeli air attack in the southern Gaza Strip, sources tell Al Jazeera.

The raid on Thursday in Khan Younis also injured a Hamas policeman, the AFP news agency reported, quoting witnesses and medics.

Israel seemed to be targeting a Palestinian fighter on a motorcycle, witnesses told Al Jazeera.

The raid came several hours after Israeli jets attacked what witnesses said was a metal foundry in Rafah, a town near Gaza's border with Egypt.

"An aerial attack took place against a site used to manufacture weapons in an area of the city of Rafah following the firing of a rocket into southern Israel in [Wednesday] evening," an Israeli army spokesman told AFP.


The Fatah-linked al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades
claimed to have fired Wednesday's rocket at Israel [Reuter file]



The military later said that a second missile was fired into southern Israel from Gaza early on Thursday, but that no damage or injuries were caused.

Hoda Abdel-Hamid, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Gaza City, said: "These kinds of attacks cause a lot of tension amongst the people, and there is apprehension that these tit-for-tat attacks could escalate and a full on war could resume."

Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, has called for a security cabinet meeting to discuss expanding the military response to Gaza rocket fire, sources tell Al Jazeera.

Rockets fired

The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military arm of the Fatah faction led by Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, claimed responsibility for Wednesday night's rocket attack from Gaza - the first since Palestinian factions declared their own ceasefire with Israel.

The rocket landed at the kibbutz or agricultural commune of Reim, in the southern Israeli Eshkol region, an Israeli military spokesman said on Thursday.

The attack came after Israeli jets carried out raids on tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border earlier on Wednesday - the first tunnel bombing since it halted its 22-day offensive on January 18.

The Israeli army said in a statement on Wednesday that its air force had hit a number of "Hamas smuggling tunnels" in retaliation for a roadside bomb attack by Palestinians on a vehicle patrol the previous day.

Gaza fighters had killed an Israeli soldier and wounded three others in the attack along a border fence.

Shortly after the bomb attack on Tuesday, Israeli aircraft killed one Palestinian on a motorcycle in an air attack.

Hamas confirmed that one of its members was injured in the attack in the town of Khan Younis.

*******

Solar Eclipse-26.01.09 - Pt 2





Tried to capture it from my place, it was quite cloudy but I took some photos and videos anyway..., these are some of the shots that I managed to get that evening..











I'd loved watching the movements of the clouds ...fantastic...masyaAllah...



*************************
(From NASA website)

During the year 2009, two solar and four lunar eclipses(expected to)occur as follows:


2009 Jan 26: Annular Solar Eclipse
2009 Feb 09: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
2009 Jul 07: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
2009 Jul 22: Total Solar Eclipse
2009 Aug 06: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
2009 Dec 31: Partial Lunar Eclipse



2009 Jul 22: Total Solar Eclipse:

Today's Lunch...meeting friends.

Aimy asked if I could join her for lunch, and when I said ok, she later came and picked me up, how kind..we had lunch at "Secret Recipe" nearby, I had chicken cornish while she had "Japanese Soba" - noodle something...it looked and tasted nice esp. with lots of veggies...mmm..next time may be I'll order it..or better yet, look for its recipe...mmm..more economical if I want to have it often... :-)))




Its a short lunch but we tried to fill in as many "news" as we could...never short of stories..hehehe..but we had to rush back to work and also because I'd another friend waiting for me at the office. The lunch was Aimy's treat...so very very nice of her..semoga dimurahkan lagi rezeki..amiin..(may she be blessed with good wealth and health).


Kak Has was waiting for me at the office.."sorry I was a bit late sis (you know me when I'm with friends!), but considering that I had to wait 2 birthdays before I can finally meet and give you your last year's birthday gift, that's not too bad right? hehehehe...thank you for coming over to my side of town..great to see you and family, you are still sweet as ever :-)"


It was a pleasure to meet them..


Wednesday 28 January 2009

Friends


This morning I dialled a Chinese friend's number to wish him and family Happy Chinese New Year, had not keep in touch for a while, the last I think was when I sent him sms during the previous year's CNY.

His wife answered it, and we talked for a while and when I asked for him, she cried and told me a sad news that her husband had passed away 2 months ago, due to cancer...

I regret for not keeping in touch more often and failed to know about his illness..

This sad news reminds me that it's going to be the 1st "anniversary" of losing a school friend early February last year (noon, 4th Feb 2008) due to a brain tumour that was detected in December. She went for operation late January and in coma for few days, never recovered...

My friends and I followed her progress, visited her, some stayed and kept her company at the hospital (as Aimy nicely said in her email, "we wanted to be there for her after all the years of friendship we shared"). Few nights before her operation, I received her sms at midnite, thanking us and asking for prayers, not knowing it was going to be the last from her...InsyaAllah, I'll keep on praying..may she rest in peace...ameen..

2 years previously we already had lost 2 friends due to some illness. Losing friends that I grew up with at the boarding school - 5 years of sharing good and bad times, studying, playing, same dorm, same class, etc - makes me realise that I should treasure those who are close to me, be it family members or friends. You never know when its going to be the last time to spend with them.

I hope that I'll always learn lessons from life to become a better person..may Allah guide me, family and friends to the right path...ameen.

Tuesday 27 January 2009

Very special someone...


I know I've spoken to her this morning but suddenly I miss my mother very much...I pray that she's in good health and in Allah's blessings always..

Being about 450kms away, I'd try to call her almost every other day, even if only for few minutes, and go back and see her at least every couple of months..She's the only parent that we have left, as my father (may he rest in peace...) had passed away almost 10 years ago..

We do argue and sometimes I go against her wishes, but I hope I've been and will always be a good daughter to her, and I hope to always have her love and blessings.

...InsyaAllah, I'll always love her..

****************

When searching for a story/poem about mothers, I "stumbled" upon this site, I really hope the owner will not mind me copying it here, so lovely and touching...I want to cry and laugh at the same time...

****************

My Mother: A Simple Love Poem
May 13, 2007 by commonplacer


My mother is the smartest person I know. My father, with doctoral studies from McGill University, a degree from the Islamic University of Madina etc, knows I think this. I think he agrees with me.

She had to stop formal schooling in grade five in order to help care for her bed-ridden mother. She was a spunky child and when I look at her gentleness now, I can’t imagine some of the “terrible” things she says she did - like always waiting for her friends to check their work with the teacher first and upon silently seeing them get rebuked for wrong answers, quickly erasing and fixing her own similarly wrong answers; this way, she was always all correct when she got to the teacher. My mom did this? The one who would make us all walk with her for three long blocks right then and there to return an extra dime the cashier had given her in error?

I can’t imagine what she must have went through to emigrate and adjust to a new country. A cold country - as she arrived in the middle of a Canadian winter. The first time she woke up and saw the white landscape of a Montreal snowstorm, she thought the Day of Judgment had arrived.

We sometimes sit around and laugh with my mom about all her misconceptions in those early days - with my father chortling the loudest. She laughs along and provides the best lines but when my father can’t get his breath from laughing so hard, she quietly turns around, smiles a knowing smile and says the same thing, “what about the egg coupon?”

My father stops laughing at that point and usually exits to read in his library. Then we laugh at him and the time he was send to the grocery store to buy a carton of eggs using a coupon from a flyer. My mom told him to cut the coupon out and submit it before paying. He came back from the store saying he couldn’t understand why the cashier hadn’t discounted the price. He had done as he was told and produced the coupon for my mom to prove it: he had neatly cut exactly one round egg out of the picture on the coupon and handed it to the incredulous cashier. He’s never lived that one down.

Now, my mother reads books and newspapers fluently, attends classes every week, understands complicated financial things which my father (and I) don’t and increases her understanding of the relationship between nutrition and health by researching/reading/discussing at such depth that her young grandchildren are convinced she was a doctor before she married my father.

I’m just convinced, from a lifetime of experience, that she’s the smartest person I know.

A Simple Love Poem

there is
the earth
but it’s not
round
when you’re
standing on it

it is
small and flat

i can see
you
everywhere

there is
this smile
i still remember
from the
first time
i saw it

wide and deep
heart-beaming
inside out

there is
this hand
freckled, supple
in motion, soothing
stirring, stroking,
in motion

soft and generous

your spirit
pulsing

there is
this soul
but it’s not
contained
inside

you spill it

it is
light and a light

i see
my way
by it
- commonplacer, 2007


(http://commonplacer.wordpress.com/2007/05/13/my-mother-a-simple-love-poem/)

Monday 26 January 2009

2,000 Throng National Planetarium For Partial Solar Eclipse


KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 (Bernama) --

About 2,000 people thronged the National Planetarium here at about 3pm to view the country's first partial solar eclipse for this year that lasted for two-and-a-half hours.


The planetarium's research officer, Lau Chen Chen, said visitors got to see the moon obscuring the sun up to 82.6 per cent."The solar eclipse would happen during a new moon and when the moon passes between the sun and the earth and this causes the sunlight to be partially or wholly shut out," she said when met by Bernama here Monday.


The solar eclipse was seen beginning at 4.34pm when the moon passed the fringe of the sun and this was the 'first contact' to begin the partial solar eclipse."Observers cannot detect the contact at this time because of the strong sunlight. They were given special spectacles to view the phenomenon.


The eclipse can only be seen safely after the moon blocks the sunlight gradually to create a crescent until the maximum blockage was attained at 5.50pm," Lau said.The partial solar eclipse ended at 6.55pm when the sight of the moon disappeared gradually and sunlight returned.


The last time such an eclipse happened in Malaysia was in 2002.


Beside that various activities were planned at the planetarium including the film 'SOS Planet' at the Space Theatre at 5pm and a laser show called 'The Legend of the Night Sky'.


Meanwhile, the Head Imam of the National Mosque, Tan Sri Syaikh Ismail Muhammad, called on Muslims to use the occasion to reflect on the greatness of God.


Earlier he had delivered a sermon on strengthening faith through the solar eclipse at the Federal Territory Mosque where about 3,000 Muslims gathered.


-- BERNAMA
***************************

"PENGUKUHAN IMAN MELALUI PERISTIWA GERHANA MATAHARI"


Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia
(26 Januari 2009 / 29 Muharram 1430H)

(Rujukan:http://www.islam.gov.my/khutbahjakim/)


Sidang Jemaah Yang Dirahmati Allah,

Saya berpesan dengan diri dan juga dengan sekalian jemaah agar kita benar-benar bertakwa kepada Allah dengan menjunjung segala perintah-Nya dan menjauhi segala larangan-Nya. Semoga dengan itu hidup kita di bawah lindungan Allah SWT. Khutbah hari ini akan membicarakan tajuk:
"PENGUKUHAN IMAN MELALUI PERISTIWA GERHANA MATAHARI".

Sidang Jemaah Yang Dirahmati Allah,

Pada saat ini kita diperlihatkan dengan kuasa Allah yang Maha Agung iaitu kejadian gerhana matahari. Matahari yang bercahaya di siang hari penuh purnama secara tiba-tiba hilang cahayanya sedikit demi sedikit sehinggalah tiada lagi cahaya yang kelihatan. Begitulah kehebatan kekuasaan Allah yang mampu mengubah segalanya di langit dan bumi pada bila-bila masa yang tidak ada satu kuasa lain yang dapat menyekat qadha dan qadar-Nya.

Allah SWT berfirman di dalam al-Qur'an menjelaskan bahawa perubahan yang berlaku terhadap matahari dan bulan itu adalah di bawah tadbir Allah SWT. Oleh itu sujudlah kepada Allah yang mengawal selia dan menyelenggara terbit dan terbenam matahari serta bulan sebagaimana terdapat pada surah al-Fussilat ayat 37:

Maksudnya: "Dan di antara tanda-tanda kekuasaan-Nya ialah malam, siang, matahari dan bulan. Janganlah kamu sujud kepada matahari, tidak juga bulan; dan sujudlah kepada Allah yang menciptakannya, kalau betullah kamu hanya beribadat kepada Allah."


Sidang Jemaah Yang Dirahmati Allah,

Setiap perubahan yang berlaku terhadap cakerawala mengandungi hikmah yang tersendiri. Begitu juga perubahan yang berlaku kepada matahari dan bulan, sudah pastinya mengandungi hikmat yang tertentu, antaranya memberi peringatan agar hamba-Nya tidak melampaui batas.

Menurut catatan sejarah bahawa gerhana matahari telah berlaku pada 10 Rabiul Awal tahun ke-8 hijriah. Kebetulan gerhana matahari itu berlaku sewaktu kematian putera baginda SAW iaitu Ibrahim ketika usianya baru 70 hari. Maka Rasulullah SAW pun bersabda yang mafhumnya:

"Bahawasanya matahari dan bulan itu menjadi tanda kedua-duanya daripada tanda kekuasaan Allah SWT. Allah menakutkan hamba-hamba-Nya dengan perubahan matahari dan bulan. Dan bahawasanya matahari dan bulan itu tidak berlaku gerhana kedua-duanya disebabkan kematian seseorang dari kalangan manusia. Maka apabila kamu melihat berlakunya sesuatu (gerhana matahari atau bulan), maka solatlah kamu (solat sunat gerhana) dan berdoalah kepada Allah sehingga cahaya matahari atau bulan tersingkap semula bagi kamu" (Riwayat Imam Muslim dari Abi Mas'ud al-Ansari)


Sidang Jemaah Yang Dirahmati Allah,

Sesungguhnya berlakunya gerhana matahari atau bulan memang menjadi tanda kebesaran Allah dan supaya manusia bersyukur terhadap-Nya tanpa mensyirikkan Allah dengan sesuatu pun. Allah SWT Maha berkuasa di atas segala sesuatu. Firman Allah SWT dalam surah al-Qasas ayat 71-73:

Maksudnya:
"Katakanlah: Bagaimanakah pandanganmu jika Allah menjadikan malam kepadamu tetap selama-lamanya hingga ke hari Kiamat; siapakah selain Allah yang dapat membawakan cahaya yang menerangi kepada kamu? Maka mengapa kamu tidak mahu mendengar? Katakanlah: Apakah pendapatmu jika Allah menjadikan siang kepadamu tetap selama-lamanya hingga ke hari Kiamat; siapakah tuhan selain dari Allah, yang dapat membawakan malam kepada kamu untuk kamu berehat padanya? Maka mengapa kamu tidak mahu melihat? Dan di antara rahmat-Nya, Ia menjadikan untukmu malam dan siang, supaya kamu berehat padanya dan supaya kamu berusaha mencari rezeki dari limpah kurnia-Nya, dan supaya kamu bersyukur."

Mudah-mudahan dengan adanya rahmat Allah tersebut, maka dapatlah manusia itu berterima kasih kerana telah banyak menerima budi yang patut dibalas. Allah SWT tidak sekali-kali mengharapkan pembalasan. Tetapi apa yang patut dilakukan sebagai tanda syukur dan berterima kasih itu hendaklah manusia memuji Allah setulus-tulusnya dan seikhlas hati tanpa menyengutukan-Nya.

Ahli falak Islam yang masyhur dizaman silam, Imam al-Khawarizmi berpendapat setiap dua (2) jisim yang berdekatan itu mewujudkan kesan tarik menarik di antara satu sama lain, samada kuat atau pun lemah tarikan tersebut. Oleh kerana sewaktu berlakunya gerhana matahari, matahari berada hampir dengan bumi. Pastinya akan berlaku tarikan kuat dari bulan terhadap bumi yang mengakibatkan berlakunya perubahan angin yang memberi kesan kepada cuaca dan musim. Hal ini juga boleh membawa perubahan kepada tumbuh-tumbuhan, tanam-tanaman dan benda hidup di dunia ini.

Sidang Jemaah Yang Dirahmati Allah,

Imam an-Nasaie meriwayatkan bahawa ummul mukminin Saidatina Aishah R.HA berkata:

Mafhumnya: "Dan sesungguhnya telah jelas cahaya matahari, maka Rasulullah SAW berkhutbah dihadapan orang ramai sambil memuji Allah SWT dan sesungguhnya matahari dan bulan adalah dua daripada keagungan Allah. Gerhana kedua-duanya berlaku bukan disebabkan mati atau hidup seseorang. Apabila kamu melihat terjadi gerhana matahari atau bulan, maka hendaklah kamu mendirikan solat sunat gerhana dan bersedekah serta memperbanyak mengingati Allah. Sabda Nabi SAW: "Wahai umat Muhammad, jikalau kamu tahu apa yang aku tahu, nescaya kamu sedikit ketawa dan banyak menangis".

Sidang Jemaah Yang Dirahmati Allah,

Tinggalkanlah maksiat sekiranya kita telah terlanjur dan jauhi maksiat sekiranya belum terjebak. Ahmad dan Salamah meriwayatkan bahawa Rasulullah SAW bersabda:

Mafumnya: "Apabila berleluasa maksiat di kalangan umatku, nescaya Allah limpahkan azab di sisinya. Aku bertanya: Ya Rasulullah, sekiranya di kalangan mereka itu terdapatnya orang-orang soleh? Rasulullah SAW menjawab: Benar! Ummu Salamah bertanya: Kenapa orang yang soleh juga ditimpakan azab? Rasulullah SAW menjawab: Mereka ditimpakan azab bersama manusia yang lain kemudian mendapat keampunan Allah dan mendapat keredhaan-Nya".

Marilah kita menanamkan dalam hati dan jiwa kesungguhan untuk menghayati hikmah disebalik setiap peristiwa, kejadian dan fenomena alam sama ada ianya merupakan suatu bala ataupun ujian daripada Allah SWT.

Mengakhiri khutbah, sebagai usaha untuk melahirkan keteguhan seterusnya mengekalkan kekuatan iman yang ada dalam diri umat Islam, mimbar menggariskan beberapa nasihat untuk dijadikan pedoman bersama:

Pertama : Berfikir dan bertafakkur setiap kejadian fenomena alam;

Kedua : Memperingati tentang nikmat syurga dan azab neraka;

Ketiga : Menjauhkan diri daripada lalai dan lupa kepada Pencipta iaitu
Allah;

Keempat : Menghitung, mempertingkatkan dan memperkemaskan amal
kebajikan sepanjang masa; dan

Kelima : Bersegera memohon taubat kepada Allah SWT di atas kealpaan
dan keingkaran mentaati perintah-Nya.

Firman Allah SWT dalam surah az-Zumar ayat 5:

Maksudnya: “Ia menciptakan langit dan bumi dengan ada tujuan yang benar; Ia menjadikan malam melengkari siang, dan menjadikan siang melengkari malam; dan Ia menjadikan matahari dan bulan beredar menurut perintah-Nya, setiap satu dari keduanya beredar untuk suatu masa yang telah ditetapkan. Ingatlah! Dialah Yang Maha Kuasa, lagi Yang sentiasa Mengampuni.”


(KHUTBAH KEDUA)

Sidang Jemaah Yang Dirahmati Allah,

Saya berpesan dengan diri saya dan hadirin sekalian, marilah kita benar-benar meningkatkan ketakwaan kepada Allah SWT supaya memperoleh rahmat taufik dan hidayah sepanjang hayat.

Allah SWT berfirman dalam surah ar-Rum ayat 46 bahawa disediakan kepada umat manusia di bumi Allah ini akan cuaca yang cukup selesa, aliran angin yang membawa berita dengan limpahan rezeki, kapal-kapal dengan muatan barang dagangan bergerak merentasi lautan menyuburkan lagi rezeki kurniaan Allah SWT untuk dinikmati bersama. Semoga dengan pelbagai habuan yang diperolehi itu, melahirkan rasa syukur kehadrat Allah SWT.

Sidang Jemaah Yang Dirahmati Allah,

Pada hari ini kita berhimpun dan berkumpul dengan penuh harapan agar doa, rayuan kita diterima Allah SWT. Semoga Allah memulihkan cuaca gerhana matahari yang kita saksikan sekarang ini, supaya kita terus sentiasa dalam perlindungan dan rahmat Allah hendaknya. Berdoalah wahai saudara-saudaraku sekalian, semoga selepas perhimpunan ini bermulanya aliran angin yang membawa hujan dan aliran air yang mencukupi keperluan. Cuaca dan peralihan musim yang lebih baik untuk dinikmati bersama.

Firman Allah SWT dalam surah Saad ayat 36:

Maksudnya:
"Maka Kami mudahkan baginya menggunakan angin yang bertiup perlahan-lahan menurut kemahuannya, ke arah mana sahaja yang hendak ditujunya".

Ya Allah ampunkanlah sekalian muslimin dan muslimat, mukminin dan mukminat samada yang masih hidup atau yang teal meninggal dunia.




(Rujukan:http://www.islam.gov.my/khutbahjakim/upload/doc/Pengukuhan%20Iman%20Melalui%20Peristiwa%20Gerhana%20Matahari%20(Rumi).doc)

Salad...Fried Pasta(?), ..


I love cooking but I do not cook everyday, especially on working days as we normally have lunch at the office and for dinner, we sometimes only have bread or biscuits...but we are not on diet really :-)


I believe cooking can reduce my stress, and I love to cook for my family and friends, but sometimes if I stayed too long in the kitchen I'd be depressed especially when I have to clean it up..hahaha...


Don't normally hv proper recipes 4 most of my cooking, whatever I can get hold of, d end result would be "whatever" (my nephew's fav. word..hehehe).

4 today's lunch, I knew I wanted to make salad,




and something.., anything that I could find.....and this was what we had for lunch, "fried pasta"



(no complain for it, so must be okay..hehehe..)





In MyBlogLog, I've joined some communities on cooking - thai food (I love tom-yam), salad, cupcakes etc, but so far I haven't the chance to check-out any recipe.... :-)


Mexican chefs make world's biggest cheesecake



The Associated Press
Posted: Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009


MEXICO CITY Mexico has long been known for tacos and tequila - but cheesecake?

Chef Miguel Angel Quezada says 55 cooks spent 60 hours making the world's biggest cheesecake - a 2-ton calorie bomb topped with strawberries.

The monster cake used nearly a ton of cream cheese, the same amount of yogurt, 350 kilograms (772 pounds) of pastry, 250 kilograms (551 pounds) of sugar and 150 kilograms (331 pounds) of butter.


(Chefs serve what they claim to be the world's largest cheesecake in Mexico City, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009. The chefs hope to win a Guinness World Record)


Carlos Martinez of Guinness World Records declared the cheesecake the world's largest on Sunday at an event sponsored by Kraft Foods, maker of Philadelphia cream cheese.

There wasn't much competition. Guinness had no previous record for cheesecakes.

Organizers gave out 20,000 slices around Mexico City.



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I don't understand the need to "fight" for records in 'Guinness Book' (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com) - largest cake, largest sandwich, largest omelette, and many many more "odd" records like - 'Most tattooed person', 'Furthest Eyeball Popper'.

mmmm...I'm not fighting for any record, but here's my cupcakes...hehehe...



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Odd News



Goat detained over armed robbery
Fri Jan 23, 12:08 pm ET


LAGOS (Reuters) – Police in Nigeria are holding a goat on suspicion of attempted armed robbery.

Vigilantes took the black and white beast to the police saying it was an armed robber who had used black magic to transform himself into a goat to escape arrest after trying to steal a Mazda 323.

"The group of vigilante men came to report that while they were on patrol they saw some hoodlums attempting to rob a car. They pursued them. However one of them escaped while the other turned into a goat," Kwara state police spokesman Tunde Mohammed told Reuters by telephone.

"We cannot confirm the story, but the goat is in our custody. We cannot base our information on something mystical. It is something that has to be proved scientifically, that a human being turned into a goat," he said.

Belief in witchcraft is widespread in parts of Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation. Residents came to the police station to see the goat, photographed in one national newspaper on its knees next to a pile of straw.


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Under Arrest?????

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Thief caught out giving policeman's address
Wed Jan 21, 12:18 pm ET


BERLIN (Reuters) – A German teen-ager caught shoplifting tried to dupe police by lying about where he lived -- but ended up in even more trouble when the address he gave turned out to be the home of an investigating officer.

The 18-year-old from Achim, a town of 30,000 in northern Germany, admitted he had lied when the officer explained that the address belonged to him, said police in nearby Verden.

"It was complete coincidence," said a police spokesman. "The thief gave that address because he'd once lived in the house. The policeman was the guy who moved in afterwards."

(Reporting by Dave Graham; editing by Elizabeth Piper)


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Unreturned library book leads to woman's arrest
Sat Jan 24, 2:41 pm ET



INDEPENDENCE, Iowa – An Iowa woman has been arrested because she failed to return a library book.

Thirty-nine-year-old Shelly Koontz was arrested Thursday night on a fifth-degree theft charge. She is accused of keeping "The Freedom Writers Diary," which she checked out from the public library in nearby Jesup in April.

Police say the book — which is about a high school teacher's effort to inspire students to write — is valued at $13.95.

Court records show library employees tried repeatedly to contact Koontz by phone and mail. A police officer even visited her home last September.

Officials at the Buchanan County jail say Koontz was released after posting $250 bond. No telephone listing for Koontz could be found in the Independence area.


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(Source:http://news.yahoo.com)

The Law of the Seed






From Rois (tq!) - when she was still working at IMR, so in sending this email I believe she was then looking forward to the restful weekend :-)

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Something to share, have a great weekend...


The Law of the Seed




Take a look at an apple tree.
There might be five hundred apples on the tree,
but each apple has just ten seeds.

That's a lot of seeds! We might ask,
"Why would you need so many seeds to grow just a few more apple trees?

"Nature has something to teach us here.
It's telling us: "Not all seeds grow.



In life, most seeds never grow.
So if you really want to make something happen,
you had better try more than once.

"This might mean:

You'll attend twenty interviews to get one job.

You'll interview forty people to find one good employee.

You'll talk to fifty people to sell one house, one car,
one vacuum cleaner, one insurance policy, or a business idea.

And you might meet a hundred acquaintances
just to find one special friend.



When we understand the "Law of the Seed",
we don't get so disappointed.

We stop feeling like victims.
We learn how to deal with things that happen to us.

Laws of nature are not things to take personally.
We just need to understand them
- and work with them.

IN A NUTSHELL

Successful people fail more often.
But they plant more seeds.

When Things Are Beyond your control,
here's something that you must NOT DO
so as to avoid misery in your life:

You must not decide how you think the world SHOULD be.
You must not make rules for how everyone SHOULD behave.

Then, when the world doesn't obey your rules, you get angry!
That's what miserable people do!



On the other hand, let's say you expect that:

Friends SHOULD return favours.
People SHOULD appreciate you.
Planes SHOULD arrive on time.
Everyone SHOULD be honest.
Your husband or best friend SHOULD remember your birthday.

These expectations may sound reasonable.
But often, these things won't happen!
So you end up frustrated and disappointed.



There's a better strategy.
Demand less, and instead, ave preferences!
For things that are beyond your control,

Tell yourself:"I WOULD PREFER "A",
BUT IF "B" HAPPENS, IT'S OK TOO!"

This is really a change in mindset.
It is a shift in attitude, and it gives you more peace of mind .

You prefer that people are polite ...
but when they are rude, it doesn't ruin your day.
You prefer sunshine ... but if it rains, it i s ok too!




To become happier, we either need to

a) Change the world, or
b) Change our thinking.

It is easier to change our Thinking!

IN A NUTSHELL

It is not the problem that is the issue,
but rather it is your attitude attending to the problem that is the problem.



It's not what happens to you that determine your happiness.
It's how you think about what happens to you!



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(Long weekend due to CNY and its great, don't have to do much..he he he..)


BBC 'open to Gaza appeal rethink'



Sunday, January 25, 2009


The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has said it is open to reconsidering its earlier decision not to telecast a charity appeal for funds for Palestinians in Gaza.

The chief operating officer of the BBC, under fire for its refusal to air the appeal, said a reversal of the decision was possible if another request to air the appeal was made.

"We never say never and clearly, if the DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee) came to us with another request when things have calmed down and we didn't have the same worries about the controversial nature of this, we would look at it again in that light," Caroline Thompson told Al Jazeera on Sunday.


Protests took place on Saturday against the BBC who have received over 10,000 compliants via email [AFP]



The DEC is made up of charities including the British Red Cross and Oxfam and its request for telecasting an appeal for funds was turned down by the BBC.

In explaining its decision, the BBC said the telecast might compromise its impartiality.

In a blog post on the broadcaster's website, Mark Thompson, the BBC director-general, wrote: "Gaza remains a major ongoing news story, in which humanitarian issues ... are both at the heart of the story and contentious.

"It is sometimes not a comfortable place to be, but we have a duty to ensure that nothing risks undermining our impartiality. It is to protect that impartiality that we have made this difficult decision."

Growing criticism

The BBC's refusal to broadcast the appeal has shocked and suprised many.

Steven James, an organiser for the UK-based Medical Aid for Palestinians organisation, told Al Jazeera: "This is about helping women, children and civilians caught up in the situation, in a time when they really need aid.

"Quite frankly, we are astonished at the BBC."

Pressure on the BBC to air the appeal has mounted, with the broadcaster receiving more than 10,000 compliants via email.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has also waded into the row.

"My feeling is that the BBC should broadcast an appeal," Rowan Williams, the Anglican leader, said on Sunday.

John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York and the second most senior Anglican clergyman, added that the row is not about impartiality, but
humanity.

"This is not an appeal by Hamas asking for arms but by the Disasters Emergency Committee asking for relief," Sentamu said.

"By declining their request, the BBC has already taken sides and foresaken impartiality."

More than 50 members of the British parliament have also signed a motion condemning the move.

The MPs backed a parliamentary motion saying that they were "astonished" by the BBC's move and called its explanations "unconvincing and incoherent".

The decision drew fierce criticism from Gordon Brown, the UK prime minister, while thousands of people protested against the BBC's stance in central London on Saturday.

Been a while since I joined "Virtual Run" (VR), and with long MCO - Movement Control Order (and no interest from family members..h...